Tax authorities require risk warnings on betting advertisements starting July 17th.
The Prizes and Betting Secretariat of the Ministry of Finance published, this Friday (July 10), in an extra edition of the Official Gazette of the Union, Ordinance SPA/MF No. 1.964. The regulatory act is the second ordinance announced by the Minister of Finance, Dario Durigan, on Thursday (July 9).
The decree signed by the Acting Secretary of Prizes and Betting of the Ministry of Finance, Fabio Augusto Macorin, alters advertising rules for fixed-odds betting operators and mandates the obligatory display of risk warnings in all communication, advertising, publicity, and marketing activities of the operating agents, including insertions in the digital environment.
Mandatory notices in advertising materials
The regulation modifies item II of article 13 of Ordinance SPA/MF No. 1.231, of July 31, 2024, which regulates responsible gambling and communication practices in the sector. With the change, all advertising material from operators must contain one of the following phrases: “Ministry of Finance warns: Gambling can cause addiction”, “Ministry of Finance warns: Gambling makes you lose money” or “Ministry of Finance warns: Gambling is not an investment”.
The notices must appear horizontally, in a clear and legible manner, with a minimum size equivalent to 10% of the length or size of the advertisement, proportional to the rest of the communication piece.
Repeal of rule regarding raffles
The ordinance also revokes paragraph 4 of article 42 of Ordinance SPA/MF No. 1.231, of July 31, 2024. The revoked provision required operators to comply with Law No. 5.768, of December 20, 1971, in the free distribution of prizes through raffles, gift vouchers, or contests carried out for advertising purposes.
The new rules on advertising will come into effect on July 17, 2026. The repeal of the paragraph on sweepstakes came into effect this Friday (July 10).
SPA/MF Ordinance No. 1.964/2026
